This invention relates to seedlings and other small plants, seedling trays and method of propagation of plants.
In the propagation of seedlings and other growing plants, efforts have been made to provide strips which, when utilized with other similar strips in pairs, form trays having rows of compartments for accommodating the root plug or root ball of a growing plant prior to transplanting same for further growth. Such strips are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,050,188 and 4,453,344. U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,036 illustrates a growing container or tray wherein respective rows of compartments are hinged at each end. French Patent No. 1,307,886 of 1962 illustrates the use of hinges in connection with rows of compartments formed into a tray or block. U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,558 illustrates the use of a two piece corrugated container having an inwardly tapering lower portion for confining growing material through a wedging action.
The apparatus and methods contemplated herein make provision for growing a plant having an aerated root ball or plug utilizing a vertical slot opening. Provision is made for surrounding the individual growing compartments with an opening or openings to provide for air pruning of the root systems as well as air flow to the bottoms of the leafy portion of the plants while making possible aeration of the root system.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide for aeration and drainage of the root systems of seedlings and other small plants through the use of compartments having vertical openings therein, and surrounding such respective compartments with additional openings providing air pruning of the root systems at the vertical openings as well as air to the leafy top portions of the plants.
Another important object of the present invention relates to horizontal movement of strips illustrated in the form of generally sinuous barriers which form rows of growing compartments so as to move the plants away from adjacent plants of the growing trays to avoid damage especially to the tops of the plants during their removal from the tray preparatory to transplanting. It is advantageous to hinge the ends of each of the pairs of strips forming growing compartments as such hinges facilitate such horizontal movement one at a time manually with support of the strips or in pairs especially if a machine is to be utilized to remove the young plants for transplanting. The strips may advantageously not be hinged but may be removed horizontally in pairs one row at a time while supported for subsequent pushing up of the plants from the bottom of the compartments while lifting same from the top as may be carried out by a machine or partially manually as illustrated.
Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus for facilitating the filling of a tray with a growing medium. This is preferably accomplished utilizing a template or other form of barrier having an opening therein limiting entrance of the growing material to those compartments or areas of the trays where such is desired.
The injected molded plastic strips as well as a tray formed from integrally connected strips as illustrated contemplate the use of shelves or inwardly tapering wedge portions formed at an acute angle extending inwardly over a minor portion of the area of the growing compartments at the bottom in order to retain the growing medium within the growing compartments.
A table is provided having openings therein permitting raising and lowering of a frame for confining the individual strips which comprise the hinged or unhinged embodiments of the invention is illustrated. The frames which support and contain the strips of the hinged and unhinged versions may be lowered within the openings of the table leaving the plants contained within the block or strips on the table for easy separation of the strips for removing the plants from the strips one row at a time.
An integral tray is provided with a groove or labyrinth between respective compartments and adjacent openings for aeration and drainage and which permits upward flow of air about the respective compartments.
Another object of the invention is the provision of strips forming rows of compartments which may be formed into a tray such that each compartment is substantially surrounded by air with the compartments occupying the greater area of the tray conserving space while accomplishing the objects of the invention.